By Eddie Olewinski
November 22, 2023
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This post contains stories about asylum seekers in Chicago. While these stories are based on real experiences, the names have been altered to safeguard the individuals’ identities.
Leadership is often put to the test in turbulent and crisis-ridden times when the world is grappling with unforeseen challenges. During such moments, individuals who possess a deep sense of purpose and a dedication to changing the world for the better emerge. Leaders from diverse backgrounds, each guided by their distinct values and beliefs, step forward to make crucial decisions and take action during challenging times. Disaster response calls for unwavering compassion, faith, and commitment to service to others. My journey into the field of emergency management began a few years ago in the heart of the city of Chicago—a city that has faced crises and misfortunes with political turmoil that is continuously brewing.
In recent months, Chicago has grappled with an asylum-seeking crisis. A person seeking asylum is an individual who has fled their home country due to persecution, violence, or other forms of oppression and has sought refuge in another country. Many seek asylum in safe-haven cities across the United States where they await a determination on their request for protection and the right to remain in the host country. This crisis has tested the response of leaders such as public officials, government employees, and community organizations. Some have exploited asylum seekers’ vulnerability for personal gain and have used them as political pawns. However, in this turbulent landscape, a few Christian leaders in Chicago, including myself, served in emergency management and have played a pivotal role in ensuring that we are addressing the refugee crisis with compassion, dignity, and an unwavering commitment to Christian values.
In my journey as an emergency manager, the Latin phrase Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam (AMDG), meaning “for the greater glory of God,” has held significant meaning, especially in the past year. This motto, deeply rooted in the Jesuit tradition, serves as a constant reminder that the guiding principle in life is to honor and glorify God. The Jesuit tradition underscores the notion that all actions, even those undertaken in leadership positions, should be oriented towards a higher purpose. It calls upon leaders to be propelled not solely by self-interest or personal gain but rather by a commitment to bettering the world. For me, AMDG encapsulates this philosophy and reinforces the notion that faith can be a potent motivator in leadership.
One’s beliefs and values are not separated from one’s leadership roles but are instead deeply integrated.
Grounded in my Catholic faith and fully understanding the mission to welcome thy neighbor and tend to those who are marginalized, I have encountered the face of Christ in the migrants arriving by the bus loads—all for the greater glory of God. My team and I have worked strategically to provide asylum seekers shelter, legal assistance, and emotional support. We have navigated the intricate web of immigration policies and bureaucratic challenges under extended hours and limited funding constraints. This is what is at the heart of faith-based leadership in disaster response. The principle is that faith serves as a compass for all decisions and all actions. This recognizes that one’s beliefs and values are not separated from one’s leadership roles but are instead deeply integrated.
More than 13,500 people seeking asylum arrived in Chicago within the past year. Six thousand five hundred are sleeping in dedicated shelters, whereas the rest are crowded in horrid living situations at police precincts, government facilities, and airports across the city. These places of rest often consist of cramped and uncomfortable spaces, such as makeshift cardboard cots or sleeping bags on floors, limited access to basic sanitary amenities, and little privacy, adding to the challenges people seeking asylum face in their pursuit of safety and stability.
Chicago O’Hare Airport’s bustling terminals have been repurposed into impromptu living quarters for people seeking asylum, including Sonia, a mother of three, and her husband. They fled Honduras, seeking refuge from the widespread cartel violence in their homeland, and now reside at the airport in search of safety and security. Sonia’s family found themselves stranded at O’Hare Airport, a place that was meant to be a temporary stop but had become a purgatory of discomfort. Rows of uncomfortable chairs have become makeshift beds, separated only by flimsy partitions that provide minimal privacy. The floors are strewn with makeshift bedding that is comprised of thin blankets and worn-out tarps that once protected luggage on carts. Her husband sacrificed his cot to sleep on the bathroom floor with other men under the urinals and sought relief from the heat through the coolness of the tile walls. The space was overcrowded, and the air was thick with exhaustion and uncertainty.
Among the people seeking asylum was Roberto, an 18-year-old man who had been separated from his mother and younger sister during the journey to the United States from Mexico. He approached anyone who would listen, clutching a crumpled photograph of his mother and sister, hoping against hope that someone could provide answers. His tearful pleas for information about his loved ones echoed through the airport, a reminder of the heart-wrenching separations often accompanying asylum pursuit.
Our commitment to aid extended to individuals like Sonia’s and Roberto’s families. We worked to ensure that they and others like them received the support and care they deserved. From legal assistance to mental health services, we sought to address the unique needs of each individual while recognizing their dignity and humanity. Although we cannot be everywhere at once and each agency involved has different priorities, we must always remember that each person seeking asylum matters. Each is a precious life that deserves to be protected. Sonia’s and Roberto’s stories are poignant reminders of the importance of compassion and empathy in leadership. This experience reinforces my belief that faith could be a guiding light in the darkest of times, prompting me to extend a hand of welcome and care to those who have endured so much on their journey to safety.
We must always remember that each person seeking asylum matters. Each is a precious life that deserves to be protected.
The asylum-seeking crisis in Chicago echoes the biblical narrative of Jesus escaping persecution with individuals like Sonia and Roberto personifying the faces of those in dire need of compassion and support and enduring numerous challenges while seeking refuge. The commitment to values such as AMDG, rooted in faith and humanitarian principles, serves as a guiding light during these testing times and inspires leaders to extend a hand of welcome and care. In these moments, true leadership shines, reminds us of our duty to protect, support, and empathize with those seeking safety and exemplifies love for thy global neighbor.
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Eddie Olewinski, 2023 Polaris Advisor
Eddie Olewinski is a Georgetown University graduate student in the field of Emergency and Disaster Management. He holds a BA and BS from DePaul University where he studied supply chain operations, political science, and catholic studies. As an emergency management professional in Chicago, Eddie seamlessly merges his strong Roman Catholic vocation into his professional and personal endeavors. Embracing disaster response as a sacred duty, he is continually committed to safeguarding and serving others. Eddie applies essential Christian virtues to guide his approach, always mindful of doing all for the greater glory of God. His sincere dedication to the field fuels his mission to positively impact the community by fostering a climate of resilience and hope.
